The invention to which this application relates is the provision of a system and control means which allows the storage and subsequent retrieval of data on a storage means such as, for example, a storage means in the form of, and known as, a hard disk drive. Furthermore the invention is related to the storage of data in the form of video, audio and/or auxiliary data which is transmitted from a remote location and received by receiver apparatus for the processing and subsequent generation of video, audio, and/or auxiliary data such as via a television screen connected to or including the receiver. In some instances the data is not decoded and displayed immediately and the decoding and/or the display of the data, when it does occur may be distant from the receiving and memory apparatus.
The receiver is typically provided in a location of a premises and is connected to a television set to allow received data to be processed and used to generate any, or any combination of television programmes, teletext and/or television programme guides.
In the most recent receivers for digital data there is provided a fixed memory device as part thereof such as a hard disk drive (HDD). The use of the storage means allows the data which is received to be stored and/or immediately used to generate a display or service and the selection to store the data is usually made as a result of user instructions to the apparatus or instructions from the service provider.
The volume of data represented by this video, audio and/or data is relatively large and, as a result, it can be difficult for manufacturers of the receivers to use the current international control standards for the storage and retrieval of data in this format, while at the same time ensuring that, as much as possible, the system for storage and retrieval of the data is efficient and performed in a timely manner even though the volume of data is relatively high.
Conventionally, many individual register read and write functions are required to be performed in order to transfer relatively small amounts of data at a time. This means that the transfer of data of the volume with which the application is concerned, can cause the control system for the same to be unwieldy and furthermore, as the data received is changing and is required to be stored in real time, the control of this can also be difficult. Thus the aim of the invention is to provide a flexible, scalable mechanism that allows efficient data transfer using the current international standard and future international standards.
In fact at the present time, the procedure for storing the data requires that the streaming of the data into the storage means utilizes six steps of protocol which are as follows:                1. 4 register writes to set the Logical Block Address (LBA) on the hard disk drive (HDD), which is the storage means.        2. 1 register write to indicate the 128KB transfer size (this is the maximum in accordance with the standard Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA).        3. 1 register write to command that bulk data be read or written from/to the HDD.        4. The HDD status register is repeatedly polled until the HDD is ready to commence the transfer.        5. Several signals are monitored during data transfer, also the HDD or host may “hold-off” (delay) the transfer of bytes during the transfer.        6. At the end of the transfer a check-sum is generated and compared to check the integrity of the data that has been transferred.        